Can Training Frequency Beat Set Volume for Muscle Growth?
Frequency: The Overlooked Resistance Training Variable for Inducing Muscle Hypertrophy?
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Practical Takeaways
Consider increasing how often you train a specific muscle group per week rather than just adding more sets per workout once you've been training consistently for a while.
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a healthcare professional. Terms
Practical Takeaways
Consider increasing how often you train a specific muscle group per week rather than just adding more sets per workout once you've been training consistently for a while.
Publication
Journal
Sports Medicine
Year
2017
Authors
S. Dankel, K. Mattocks, M. Jessee, S. Buckner, J. Mouser, Brittany R. Counts, G. Laurentino, J. Loenneke
Related Content
Claims (4)
If you do the same total amount of weightlifting work each week, doing it all in one session will build your muscles just as much as spreading those workouts across multiple days.
If you're already an experienced lifter, just adding more sets to your workouts won't keep making your muscles grow bigger. After a certain point, your body stops responding to extra volume, so doing more sets won't give you more muscle.
When people who already work out regularly train more often, it might help them build more muscle. Since their muscles don't respond as strongly to each individual session, working out more frequently keeps their muscle-building processes active for longer periods.
If you are already experienced with weightlifting, working out your muscles more often each week might help you build more muscle than just lifting heavier weights or doing more sets.